Felix Wiedwald enters politics, ex-Leeds keeper axed by Marcelo Bielsa to stand in Verden | OneFootball

Felix Wiedwald, the former Leeds United goalkeeper who left four days into the Marcelo Bielsa era, has entered politics. Now 36, he is standing for the Christian Democratic Union at September’s Verden city council elections while continuing as a Werder Bremen scout.

“I went all in right away,” Wiedwald said. “I registered with the CDU local branch and let them know I'd like to get involved. So many people complain, but only a few actually get involved in politics and take on responsibility. That's different for me!” he told the Kreiszeitung media group.

Wiedwald joined Leeds from Werder Bremen in 2017 on a three-year deal and made 28 Championship appearances under Thomas Christiansen and Paul Heckingbottom.

Errors led to his replacement by Bailey Peacock-Farrell in March 2018, and Bielsa’s arrival that summer preceded his exit four days later. He returned to Germany and retired in 2022, aged 32.

After hanging up his gloves, he completed a two-year programme with Werder Bremen and studied sports management in Switzerland. He is also heavily invested in real estate.

He is part of CDU mayoral candidate Björn Symank’s campaign team and has attended party group meetings, with no suggestion he will leave his Bremen role. “I'm a full-time scout in squad planning at Werder Bremen. It's a full-time job. But, like many other politicians, I want to make the time for it. I don't like everything about the CDU, but that's normal in a democracy. And at the local level, it's all about working together to make a difference anyway.”

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk